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The Forager: East End makeover, just desserts

Jul 08, 2015
Some of the Dolce & Co desserts. Photo: supplied

Some of the Dolce & Co desserts. Photo: supplied

In this week’s column: new life for the East End, more patisserie treats for Adelaide, John Lethlean part of team to critique Victoria Square pop-up, not-for-profit cheese, and what to do with new-season rhubarb.

Rejuvenating Rundle Street

Adelaide could see the scales start to tip back towards the city’s other side with a push from East End restaurateurs.

The Stag’s windows have been blacked out as its new owners begin the process of rebranding and refurbishing the iconic hotel as Fat Stag. And the hunt is on for a high-profile head chef to fire up the stoves by September.

In the lane that runs between the Fat Stag and Sosta, a second storey has been added to the old bluestone barn that is set to become a boutique whisky and beer bar. No word is officially out about when it will open, but it looks like December.

On the opposite side of Rundle Street, Scoozi is undergoing extensive renovations and next door, in the entrance to Sugar nightclub, a street artist is at work with his spray cans painting a huge mural.

And in the block between Taj Tandoor and San Churros, Dolce & Co is opening the first of another five new sites across Adelaide and Mazzoni Gelato, which operated as a pop-up during the Fringe, is set to open permanently.

The owner of the Dolce & Co and Mazzoni Gelato brands is Yazan Akeel, the chef and intelligence also behind national cookware supplier Ecotel.

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Chef and Dolce & Co owner Yazan Akeel. Photo: supplied

“Chefs like Jock Zonfrillo (Orana), Duncan Welgemoed (Africola) and myself are working towards bringing new life to the street,” says Akeel.

“We are currently working with council to see if we can have more tables and chairs in the laneways.”

Akeel is hoping to have both Dolce & Co and Mazzoni Gelato operating in Rundle Street in the next 10 weeks. Dolce & Co will operate as a café from 8am until 6pm and then as a licensed dessert bar in the evenings, “where customers will be able to see the chefs making the freshly made sweets”.

In the meantime Akeel has further Dolce & Co and Mazzoni Gelato stores set to open at the refurbished Brickworks Shopping Centre on South Road, Torrensville. In the next 12 months, others are planned for Grenfell Street in the city (under the Ibis Hotel), West Beach, Stirling and at another suburban site yet to be determined.

Akeel says the new Dolce & Co outlets will look different to the original ones in Gilbert Street (part of Ecotel) and at Burnside Village.

“The new look will be more earthy and warm, and we are going back to refurbish Burnside and Gilbert Street, so they have the same identity.”

Akeel insists his stores are not franchises and says customers can expect Dolce & Co product to become more innovative. “Dolce & Co has always been ahead of its time in design and components.”

TV restaurant critics announced

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Neil Perry, Jess Ho, Erez Gordon and John Lethlean. Photo: supplied

The judging panel set to join Orana chef Jock Zonfrillo as he hosts television’s newest reality show Restaurant Revolution comprises Rockpool chef Neil Perry, social media strategist Jess Ho, restaurateur Erez Gordon and restaurant critic John Lethlean.

Each week five teams around Australia, including in Adelaide, will be mentored by the experts as they establish and run their own pop-up restaurant, vying  for the grand prize of $200,000. The teams will also be judged on their profit margins and by customers.

The Adelaide restaurant, in Victoria Square, will be open to the public for lunch and dinner from next Tuesday, July 14.

Not-for-profit cheese

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Chef Simon Bryant, cheese-making lecturer Gina Graham and celebrity cook Bree May making cheese for The Big Lunch. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily

Celebrity cooks Bree May and Callum Hann have made cheese with chefs Simon Bryant and Lloyd Cremer (Adelaide Hilton) at Regency Park TAFE’s Artisan Cheese Academy in preparation for The Big Lunch.

Now in its fifth year, The Big Lunch will be held on Sunday, July 26, at the Adelaide Central Market, with 300 guests seated at long tables running between the market stalls. The menu will feature fresh produce from the market and hand-made brie cheese.

Each year event raises close to $100,000 for not-for-profit organisation The Big Issue’s work supporting South Australia’s vulnerable men and women, providing them with opportunities to earn income and reconnect with the community. Tickets are $120 per person and are on sale until July 22.

This week at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market – rhubarb

RHUBARB Andre Castellucci

Photo: Andre Castellucci

Coming into season from now until early spring, rhubarb is considered a winter fruit but, like spinach and asparagus, it is actually a perennial vegetable.

Rhubarb has large inedible leaves, but its long red stems – with their tart and perfumey flavour – are used in both sweet and savoury dishes such as crumbles, tarts, cakes, pies and stews.

To make a quick and delicious winter dessert, roughly chop a bunch of rhubarb stems into 25mm chunks and place in a saucepan with raw sugar (about 25 per cent of the weight of the rhubarb). Cook over a low heat with the lid on for around 15 minutes, stirring intermittently until the rhubarb breaks down. Spoon into individual bowls and serve with vanilla ice-cream or custard.

Adelaide Farmers’ Market stallholders ALNDA Farms, Salad Green and Kitchen Herbs, W&B Hart and Otherwood Orchards currently have rhubarb available. Visit their stalls on Sundays from 9am-1pm at the Adelaide Showground. The rhubarb available from Salad Green and Kitchen Herbs is certified organic and they also sell it on Thursdays from 3pm to 6.30pm at the Prospect Farmers’ Market, next to Prospect Town Hall on the corner of Vine Street Plaza and Prospect Road.

Bushtucker treats

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Photo: supplied

Also at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market, Bushtucker Icecream has started producing a range of bush-tucker-flavoured iced teas.

Like the ice-cream, the iced teas are produced with bush-tucker ingredients sourced from growers and wild pickers around Australia and contain no added preservatives. The range of three iced teas are based on traditional recipes thought to have therapeutic benefits: Native Mint (to relieve upset stomachs and cold symptoms); Lemon Myrtle (to relieve sore throats); and Gum Leaf (also for the relief of cold symptoms). Dairy-free and sugar-free options are available.

Bushtucker Icecreams and Iced Teas are available every Sunday from 9am to 1pm at the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market, Leader Street, Wayville.

What’s on?

Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival – July 10 to 12
Join Adelaide’s best barbecue chefs and beer and cider brewers at the Adelaide Showgrounds’ Brick Dairy Pavilion and lawns this weekend for the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival. A feature bar dedicated to the winning brews from the Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards will also be open for tastings.

Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers – Until July 31
Coonawarra will dig out some treasures from the cellars to offer visitors a rare opportunity to taste and buy aged wine this month. Book into one of the dinners or tastings held throughout the Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers month or visit the cellar doors for a glass of Coonawarra aged wine in front of a crackling open fire.

Feast on Dumplings – July 18
Walking food tours company Feast on Food is holding Adelaide’s first dumpling tour. Starting on July 18 at 2.30pm and held weekly thereafter, the tour takes participants to some of Adelaide’s new, quirkiest and most delicious dumpling spots. Cost is $49 per person. Feast on Foot also offers its Feast on the Street walking food and street-art tour of the CBD every Saturday from 10am. Cost is $25 pay-your-own-way or $69 all-inclusive. Bookings can be made here.

Winter Reds – July 24 to 26
Fire up your winter soul in the Adelaide Hills at the Winter Reds weekend, with more than 30 wineries offering ticketed and general-admission food and wine events.

News, tips and information?

The Forager would love to hear about your news, events and suggestions. Please contact us at [email protected].

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